1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical element and an imaging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical element has been proposed which changes the optical characteristic of a polar or conductive liquid by changing the conductivity or the form of the liquid based on an electric capillary phenomenon (electrowetting phenomenon) through the application of an electric field to the liquid.
Liquid moving means has been proposed which moves a polar or conductive liquid itself in a desired direction by applying an electric field to the liquid (refer to JP-A-2004-336898 (Patent Document 1)).
The liquid moving means includes a first electrode in contact with a liquid (or liquid drop), multiple second electrodes provided to a liquid through an insulating layer and aligned in a predetermined direction and control means for controlling each voltage to be applied between the first electrode and each of the second electrodes. In this case, the liquid on the insulating layer is moved in the predetermined direction by changing the position subject to the application of voltage in the second electrodes by the control means.